Kernel: SPECviewperf, AMD, and Intel

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Aug 29, 2022

• SPECviewperf 2020: GPU Viewport Performance In Linux & Windows - Techgage

  We’re taking a fresh look at viewport performance in popular design software with the help of SPECviewperf 2020. With 21 gaming and workstation GPUs in-hand, we’re testing not just the performance in Windows, but also Linux – which has made for some interesting comparisons. It’s been nearly a year since we last took an in-depth look at viewport performance with the help of SPEC’s SPECviewperf, and with the recent release of its 2020 v3.1 update, we felt now was a good time to generate some fresh numbers. As an added bonus, this article marks the first time we’ve run the same tests under Linux. That proved to be a good move, as it gave this article’s results more flavor.

  For those not familiar with SPECviewperf, it’s important to note the fact that it is not the benchmark. It’s instead the tool for benchmarking viewports in individual applications, like 3ds Max, SolidWorks, and Siemens NX. To make the magic happen, SPEC captures API traces of the full versions of said applications, and creates viewsets that replicate playback – without the native application needing to be installed.

• AMD Zen 4 Last Branch Record Extension version 2 queued for Linux 6.1

  The Last Branch Record functionality, or LBR, is "used for determining and analyzing the control flow of software by logging branch information to registers in real-time." The branch information will allow the system to decide what paths "hot code" should be directed to, such as optimizations to profile-specific compilers or other optimizations seen active in applications

• You can soon daisy chain three 4K 60Hz monitors on your Intel Arc laptop running Linux - Neowin

  Previously, Intel's Linux drivers allowed only connecting two monitors, without daisy chaining, including Intel's integrated graphics solutions.

  Intel will be pushing this feature out to its open-source driver stack for Arc GPUs. But whether or not it will work on the cheaper options like the Arc A380, which just arrived in the US, remains to be seen.

• Intel Arc A380 On Linux - PC Perspective

  If you need an accelerator on a PC running Linux that works for a living, this is a decent choice if you can’t afford a higher end card.